The Iowa Department of Public Health reported on Saturday that 87 more Iowans have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the state’s total number of confirmed cases to 786.
• Black Hawk County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Bremer County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
• Clinton County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
• Dubuque County, 2 middle age adults (41-60 years)
• Grundy County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years)
• Howard County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
• Iowa County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
• Jefferson County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years)
• Johnson County, 7 adults (18-40 years), 5 middle age adults (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Keokuk County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Lee County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Linn County, 3 adults (18-40 years), 9 middle age adults (41-60 years), 6 older adults (61-80 years), 2 elderly adults (81+)
• Lyon County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Mills County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years)
• Muscatine County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 3 middle age adults (41-60 years), 1 elderly adult (81+)
• Plymouth County, 2 adults (18-40 years)
• Polk County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 4 middle age adults (41-60 years), 4 older adults (61-80 years)
• Pottawattamie County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 1 middle age adult (41-60 years)
• Scott County, 3 adults (18-40 years), 2 middle age adults (41-60 years), 2 elderly adults (81+)
• Sioux County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 1 older adult (41-60 years)
• Tama County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 2 older adults (61-80 years), 4 elderly adults (81+)
• Van Buren County, 1 older adult (41-60 years)
• Warren County, 1 elderly adult (81+)
• Washington County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 1 middle age adult (41-60 years), 2 older adults (61-80 years)
Linn County and Johnson County saw the biggest increase in the number of infected residents in the new report. Linn had 20 new cases, bringing its total to 139. Johnson’s 13 new cases mean 96 of its residents have tested positive for the virus.
The two counties make up about 12 percent of the state’s total population, but account for approximately 30 percent of the current number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Iowa.
IDPH planning documents divide the state into six regions based on “patterns of healthcare utilization,” IDPH Medical Director Dr. Caitlin Pedati explained on Thursday. Because Linn County hospitals tend to draw out-of-county patients from northeast Iowa and Johnson County hospitals tend to draw out-of-county patients from southeast Iowa, IDPH puts the two counties into different regions for planning purposes. IDPH guidelines mean data about the rate of infection and severity of the virus in the two counties are analyzed separately as part of the department’s standard practice, despite the fact the two counties are closely linked in how their residents live and work.
On Saturday, IDPH also reported another three Iowans have died from COVID-19. Two of the deceased were between the ages of 61 and 80; one lived in Linn County, the other lived in Polk County. The third individual was a resident of Henry County, between the ages of 41 and 60.
The newly reported deaths bring the state’s total of COVID-19 fatalities to 14. Five of the deceased have been residents of Linn County.
